Thill-coupling



(No Model.) 7

- A. P. MOSES 86 L. FREC'HETTE.

THILL COUPLING.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT P. MOSES AND LOUIS FRECHETTE, OF MALONE, NE\V YORK.

THILL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 349,401, dated September 21, 1886.

Application filed July 8, 1896.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALBERT P. MosEs and LoUIs FREOHETTE, citizens of the United States, residing at Malone, in the county of Franklin and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Thin-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in thill-couplings; and it consists of the peculiar combination and novel construction and arrangement of the various parts for service, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of our invention is to provide an improved thill-coupling in which the ordinary well-known thill-iron can be used, so that the device can be easily and readily adjusted or applied for use upon any class of vehicle; to provide improved means for preventing the thill from rattling and taking up the wear thereof, and to provide an improved key or locking-plate which can be easily detached to permit of the removal of the thill-iron, and which is held very firmly in place between the draw-irons when the device is in use, all as presently described.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a thill-coupling embodying our invention, Figure 1 isaperspectiveview. Fig. 2 is a vertical central sectional view. Fig. 3 is a detached top plan view of the draw-irons and clip with the thill-iron and key removed. Fig. 4 is a detached detail view of the key, and Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view.

Referring to the drawings, in which like lettersof reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures, Adesignates the clip, that is of the usual form, and which straddles the axle of the vehicle to which our improved thill-coupling is to be applied or adjusted. The clip has the usual threaded ends, on which are fitted the nuts (I, whichclamp the clipplate a in place against the lower or under surface of the axle, as is usual.

B designates the draw irons, which are formed in a single piece of metal with the clip A. These draw-irons are arranged at right angles to the clip and parallel with each other, so as to provide an intervening space, in which is fitted the enlarged head a of the usual thill- SerialNo. 5207.484. (No model.)

faces of the draw-irons are slotted, as at e and e, the slots 0 being arranged longitudinally of the draw-irons, and the slots 0 being formed or cut therein transversely of the irons and 1 open into the longitudinal slots at or near the rear ends of the same, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. In adjusting or fitting the thill-iron in the draw-irons, the trunnions c of the thill-iron are first fitted in the transverse slots 6, and slid therein until they enter the rear ends of the longitudinal slots 0, when the thill and its iron are drawn forward to cause the trunnions to ride in the longitudinal slots, the forward movement of the thill-iron being limited by the trunnionsthereof coming in contact with the end Wall of the longitudinal slots in the draw-irons.

F designates the key or locking-plate, which is fitted between the thill-iron and the front plate, a", of the clip A, the lower end of the key being cut out on its rear face, as shown, to provide the reduced end f, that clears one end of the clip-plate when the device is ad- I j usted between the draw'irons. The upper end of the key is provided with a cap-plate, g, which extends beyond the vertical faces of the same, so that the edges of the cap-plate will rest upon the upper edges of the drawiron when the key is fitted between them and limit the downward movement of the key, and the side edges of the key at its upper end are provided with projecting flanges or ledge 9, while the rear face of the keyis provided with a similar flange, g, near its lower end and above the cut-away portion that forms the end f. Then the key is fitted in between theldrawiron, the flanges thereof are inserted into the transverse slots 6 of the draw-irons to prevent displacement of the key, and the flange of the key fits or takes beneath the lower edge of the front plate, a, of the clip A. The front vertical face of the key is recessed or hollowed out to provide a chamber, 71, and in this chamber is fitted a spring, H, which is secured at its lower edge to the key by means of a rivet or pin, h, thus leaving the opposite end of the spring free to bear against the enlarged head of the thill-iron to force the latter for ward into contact with the terminal end of the longitudinal slots in the draw-irons and prevent rattling of the thill-iron in its socket, as is obvious. The upper free end of the spring projects or extends beyond-the chamber of the key, and the spring has an enlarged or bulged portion, h", which conforms to curvature of the head of the thill-iron to bear firmly against the latter.

The operation of our invention is as follows: WVhen the key is fitted between the thill-iron and the clip A, the spring thereof bears against the thill-iron to prevent the latter from movement and take up the wear, and the flanges on the sides of the key are fitted in the transverse slots or recesses c of the draw-irons, while the flange on the rear of the key rests or takes beneath the lower edge of the plate a! of the clip A. To remove the thill-iron the lower end of the key is pressed forwardly until the flange on the rear face thereof clears the lower edge of the said plate a) of the clip, and the key can then be withdrawn from the drawirons, the spring yielding to this movement of the key and a limited amount of play being permitted the side flanges in the transverse slots 0 of the draw-irons. The thill-iron can now be withdrawn from the draw-irons very easily, and as readily replaced, after which the key is again inserted into the space between what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a thill-coupling, the combination of the draw-irons having the longitudinal and transverse recesses opening into each other,

a thill-iron journaled in the longitudinal grooves, a key fitted in rear of the thill-iron and having the side flanges fitted in the transv the thill-iron journaled in the draw-irons, the

key having the flanges on its side and rear faces, which are fitted within the transverse grooves of the draw-irons and beneath the edge of the clip, and a spring carricd by the key and bearing against the thill-iron, substantially as described.

3. In a thillcoupling, the combination of the draw-irons having the longitudinal and transverse grooves on their inner opposing faces, a thill-iron having its trunnions journaled in the longitudinal recesses of the draw irons, a key inserted in rear of the thilliron and having the projecting flanges on its side and rear faces, and the chamber in its front face, the spring fitted and secured at one end in the keychamber, and having its opposite free end curved or bulged and projecting beyond the chamber of the key to bear against the thill-iron, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

. ALBERT P. MOSES.

LOUIS FREOHETTE.

Witnesses:

N. H. MUNsILL, CHARLES F. FURY. 

